Two chemical societies join forces for a more sustainable planet

The American Chemical Society (ACS) and the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) — two of the world’s largest scientific societies — have joined forces in an effort to develop sustainable energy, provide abundant food and clean water, and address other global challenges that threaten Earth’s health. The first steps in the process include links to ACS and RSC materials and resources on sustainability. With more than 161,000 members, ACS is the world’s largest scientific society. RSC’s 46,000 global membership makes it the largest organization for advancing the chemical sciences in Europe. Their alliance stems from a realization that the challenges of sustainability are daunting and cannot be solved by a single organization or by a single country.

What is sustainability? It means meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. For consumers, it means reducing energy use, using energy sources other than fossil fuels, recycling, and other eco-friendly activities.

I know that I personally could do a lot more to help improve the planet. I recently took a step toward this goal when I attended an Earth Day celebration at Ben Brenman Park in Alexandria, Va. The beautiful, quiet park is located less than a mile from my apartment. The event featured live music, a puppet show, and dozens of educational displays about the importance of sustainability to help make the planet a better place.

I came away from the event with a handful of bike maps and an eco-friendly light bulb. But I also learned that it’s going to take many individuals working together to make a difference. We could all learn a lesson on cooperation from the wonderful alliance between the ACS and the RSC!